Questions for Simon from Arriva

[Simon@Arriva]

loads of breakdowns / missing journeys on 825/826 again in this last week, and yes still operating them unreliable old clapped out solos on it as well, no point complaining to Luton as they are simply not interested or even know or care where staffordshire is!!  Where are all the re furbished pulsars hiding that was 'supposed' to be re deployed back on there from the timetable network revision?  At least 2 break downs again yesterday too, and yet again one was a vintage solo......  Them solos things must be costing the company a fortune in lost mileage and lost revenue on these longer interurban services, they are simply not up to the job, one just cannot rely on these services at all any more im afraid.... Im baffled how Cannock depot have been let run this 825 service in to the ground with such shoddy unreliable old end of life vehicles in the last number of years tbh. Its not a good image for public transport at all im afraid in this area.  :(

I have reviewed the allocation for the week and looked at the lost mileage.  The 60/825/826 cycle is marked for the Volvo B7 vehicles and these have been allocated correctly last week.  However, as breakdowns have happened some Solos have been put out there as they were the only spare buses.

The refurbished Pulsars are allocated to the 74/8/7/H cards and, again, this looks consistent.

We have had problems in the week with congestion in Lichfield which has not helped the 825/6.

My apologies if your journey has been disrupted.

[Westy]

Are you still interworking Cannock Lichfield with Lichfield Stafford?

That doesnt appear to help, according to past posts on the subject.

[Brick60000]

Hi

I noted this morning that the stop at Baswich Compton Road (and thus I assume the other Baswich stops) that the last journey to Gaol Square on a Saturday is the same as in the week - 1550. However both your website and Bus Times seem to suggest this last trip does not run on a Saturday, terminating at the shops. Are you able to confirm which of these is correct?

Also, is there any plan to refurbish the Volvo/Wright vehicles now predominantly used on the 825/6?

[bovaman]

Thanks for the reply Simon,

i'm quite surprised you are dragging them big pulsars around them local tight estates in Stafford tbh. would of thought more solo / dart territory

Some more up to date vehicle investment is really needed on the 825 im afraid, and another old bone shaker dart out at peak time again today too, but luckily it did manage to last the journey this time. I really do feel sorry for the drivers tbh

I get that nothing in 100% reliable, things old and new break, traffic etc etc,  but as a regular traveller on this route i do feel arriva don't really care that much about its reliability or what vehicles are allocated, a sort of a end of life bus route in the past few years, such a shame really as it did vastly improve from early 2012 for a couple of years.

[Simon@Arriva]

Are you still interworking Cannock Lichfield with Lichfield Stafford?

That doesnt appear to help, according to past posts on the subject.

Yes but it has changed from what was happening before 26th January. 

825 has to interwork so that we can get driver reliefs in Cannock.

[Simon@Arriva]

Thanks for the reply Simon,

i'm quite surprised you are dragging them big pulsars around them local tight estates in Stafford tbh. would of thought more solo / dart territory

Some more up to date vehicle investment is really needed on the 825 im afraid, and another old bone shaker dart out at peak time again today too, but luckily it did manage to last the journey this time. I really do feel sorry for the drivers tbh

I get that nothing in 100% reliable, things old and new break, traffic etc etc,  but as a regular traveller on this route i do feel arriva don't really care that much about its reliability or what vehicles are allocated, a sort of a end of life bus route in the past few years, such a shame really as it did vastly improve from early 2012 for a couple of years.

I would love some newer vehicles but we have what we have for now - plus so Solo from Derby

[Simon@Arriva]

Hi

I noted this morning that the stop at Baswich Compton Road (and thus I assume the other Baswich stops) that the last journey to Gaol Square on a Saturday is the same as in the week - 1550. However both your website and Bus Times seem to suggest this last trip does not run on a Saturday, terminating at the shops. Are you able to confirm which of these is correct?

Also, is there any plan to refurbish the Volvo/Wright vehicles now predominantly used on the 825/6?

Thanks.

Yes the Volvo will be refurbed this year.

[Bob]

I would love some newer vehicles but we have what we have for now - plus so Solo from Derby

Are the Derby Solos going to replace any vehicles at Cannock?

[bovaman]

no more solos pleaseeeeeeeeee  there horrendous unreliable piles of junk - thats solos in general lol and yes i have had to drive solos in a past career.....   yak, but did not use much fuel though as spent lots of time expired, or hooked up to recovery trucks. Mind most optare products are pretty dire.
coach aid will be pleased though i guess  ;D

[Bob]

Thanks.

Yes the Volvo will be refurbed this year.

The Volvos are probably the most decent vehicles Cannock has got

[Simon@Arriva]

Are the Derby Solos going to replace any vehicles at Cannock?

Yes.  Replacing the following:

2731
2732
2736
2742
2741
3719
3720
2740
2745

[900]

Yes.  Replacing the following:

2731
2732
2736
2742
2741
3719
3720
2740
2745

Do you know how long 2740 as left?

[Bob]

Wiping out the entire fleet of cadets then lol

[Bob]

Are there any plans to get rid of the Streetlites? Even the Cadets would be better on the 1 & 2 lol. Theyre truly the absolute worst buses Cannock have ever had and thats going sone. Half of em look shabby with pieces of branding missing on some ( for at least a year! ) missing route numbers on branding ( one now just has number 1) , they should just admit that no Cannock route was deserving of Sapphire status ( evidently not the number 1 as it was a 20 minute service all day pre sapphire- so upgrading it must have actually lost passengers- the opposite of what the sapphiring was intended to do) & put better, normal buses back on ( it wouldnt be hard virtually anything else the garage has)

[Brick60000]

Simon, are you please able to clarify the boundaries for the Staffs/Cannock saver ticket? The latest map on the website shows this to include Rugeley as well. Is this correct?